Improvement in pyrotechnic stars



E. F. LINTON.

PYRoTEcHNIc STAR.

No.175,360. Patenzea mmh 28,1876.

NAFETERS, PHOTU-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D4 C. v

Allawi?.

A'rniv'r lEDWARD F. LINTON, on EAST New YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN PVRO'TECHNIC STARS.

Specification forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 175,360, dated March28, 1876; application filed March 1e, 1876.

thereon, making part ofihis specification, in l which- Figures 1 and '2are side views of the star.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the star with chambers for the reception of thequick-match. Fig. 4 is a vert-ical sectional view of thesta-r. Figs. 5and 6 'are side and sectional views of the star with quick-matchesinserted in the grooves or channels.

The nature of my invention is essentially a new article of manufacture,and consists in constructing a pyrotechnic star in the form of a sphereor ball, and, as in the case of the star described and claimed inanapplication for Letters Patent of the United States, filed by meFebruary 14, 1876, and which was ordered to issue February 19, 1876, Idispense with the central' groove orchaunel extending through thecomposition, as is the invariable practice in molding or forming thepyrotechnic stars of the ordinary. Roman candle, and thereby avoid theweakening of the star at its center and at the point where itisdesirable to concentrate the greatest explosive force of the powder toproject the star, and which weakening of the same at this pointconstantly endangers the disintegration or breaking np of the mass ofcomposition that composes the star, when the same is projected withforce, and which liability of the sta-r being scattered in fragments hashitherto rendered impracticable all attempts successfully to utilize andrender positively reliable the principle of the Roman candle for thepurpose of night signaling with different colored lights, as the suddenextnguishment of either of the succession of stars through its breaking4up or going to .pieces at the instant of its being projected wouldrender the signal worse than useless, as it would either be entirelyunintel` ligible or speak a meaning entirely different from thatintended. Owing to the form of the star which constitutes my presentinvention it is impossible to'adhcre to the form of vthe lateralgroovesfor ig-niting the powder in the chamberA below, as inthe starclaimed in 4my application hereinbefore referred to, yet I adhere ltotheprinciple of these lateral vgrooves ion the surface by moldingorformingtho round or spherical star Withone or more belt grooves orchannels, which completely girdle the same.

Another valuable. feature claimed' in connection with the stardescribedin my applicaltion hereinbefore referred to,.and which is .the star`with narrow socket-chambers, which extend fromthe surface into the bodyof the composition to a depth, say, of -a quarter or halt inch,and-whichr chambers receive tire from the time fuse or other source, andinsure the ignition` of the mass-of composition that vcomposes thev starandwithin the body ofthe same, in such manner as to insure of its beingsothoroughly lighted as not to be extinguished and at such points as thejudgment of the manufacturer may deem most desirable.

I have in this recital of invention stated fully in what mypresentimprovement consists, and enumerated the features of constructionwhich were common tothe stars embraced in this and my applicationhereinbefore referred to, and I Will now brieljy allude to some oftheprominent advantages which this round or spherical star possesses overand above the cylindrical star of the ordinary Roman candle, and whichform or outline of star I substantially adhered to inmy applicationhereinbefore referred to. y I

In the constructionofsignals and other similar pyrotechnic devices it isdesirable that the least possible quantity of powder that will propelthe star to lthe desired altitude or distance should be used, as in thedegreethe quantity of powder which constitutes the charge is reduced,the danger of the bursting of the case through its explosion islessened; and it is also desirable in order that the case, acting, as itwere, as a barrel, should give propel' direction to the star, that,rr-ron.

the same should tit closely or snugly within its chamber. Now theseconditionshave only to be named to cause, in a certain degree at least,their necessary antagonism to be recognized.

.The star cannot impingc against the wall of the case without, throughits contact therewith, engendering a certain frictional resistance, andin overcoming which a certain portion of the force of the charge isnecessarily to be spent. In stars of the form of those used in the Romancandle, and which have a tendency to hug the wall of the case throughouttheir entire length, the degree of frictional vrresistance thus producedis far from being insignicant. And, again, the flat-headedcylindricaLstar now invariably usedowing to its form, invites thegreatest atmospheric resistance .to its passage through the air.

In niy present improvement, if these difficulties are. not entirelyobviated, they are at least lso;flessened las to insure great advantagesin connection with thc use of around or spherical star, as it isimpossible, in being projected, that it should touch the case at butone. or the other of its diametrical points, the surface of contactbeing necessarily so small, the degree of resistance produced thereby isproportionately small; and, again, the round or spherical form offersfar less surface of resistance to the atmosphere, and, consequently,

' the full force of the powder is utilized in the utmost degree to thedirect propulsion of the star, and in the degree the resistance to beovercomeis lessened in the same degree may the quantity of the charge bereduced; and another most important advantage which the round orspherical star possesses over the fiathead cylindrical star of the Romancandle, and over the star of the form shown in my application,hereinbefore referred to, is that it is so much less liable of beingconstantly inverted or turned over while being projected, and whichalways has a tendency to endanger its extinguishment.

The construction and operation of my invention are as follows:

In the accompanying drawing, as my present invention is conned entirelyto the star, this feature alone is illustrated. In manufacturing thestar Gr the composition is molded into the forni of a round ball orsphere, having a belt groove or channel, g, as shown in Figs. l and 3,and which girdles or encircles the star; or the star may be formed withtwo or more of said grooves or channels, g g, running or extending inopposite directions, as

shown in Fig. 2. In these grooves or channels may be inserted andsecured quick-m atches g g', the ends of the quick -inatch being leftfree, as4 shown in Fig. 6, or the match drawn so as to entirely till thegroove, and its ends then twisted so as to form, as it were, a centerwick, as shown in Fig. 5. The object of the groove or grooves g (ofcourse, either with or without the quick -match g) is to secure theignition of the powder in a chamber below the star, through the lirewhich the burning of the time-fuse above produces. The star or stars Gare also formed or molded with -chambers 7L h, the saine beingcountersunk or socket-shaped, and which are in form and function similarto the chamber in the upper surface of the star described in myapplicaltion hereinbefore referred to.

There maybe one or more of these chambers in each star. When several areemployed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, they may be scatteredorinterspersed at intervals around 'the circumferential surface of thestar, and at such points thereon as the judgment of the' mannfacturin gpyrotechnist may'deem best to insure the ignition of the compositionwhich" composes the star within the body of the mass, and in a mannerthe most thoroughly to insure the proper burning of the same.

These chambers h h, if desired, may be provided with quick-matches t'z', secured therein with any mucilage or paste suited to the. purpose,as shown in-Fig. et.

While this star G is admirably adapted forv signals and otherpyrotechnic devices, con-v structed or molded in the form-of a sphere,and having one or more annular or belt grooves, g,

encircling the same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The star or stars G, molded in the form of a sphere, and having oneor more beltgrooves, g, and one or more chambers, h, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to thisspeciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD F. LINTON. Witnesses: l

CHAs. NELsoN, RICHD. PICKERING.

